Assistive ankle-foot orthoses (AAFOs) are powerful solutions to assist or rehabilitate gait on humans. Existing AAFO technologies include passive, quasi-passive, and active principles to provide assistance to the users, and their mechanical configuration and control depend on the eventual support they aim for within the gait pattern. In this research we analyze the state-of-the-art of AAFO and classify the different approaches into clusters, describing their basis and working principles. Additionally, we reviewed the purpose and experimental validation of the devices, providing the reader with a better view of the technology readiness level. Finally, the reviewed designs, limitations, and future steps in the field are summarized and discussed.

翻译：辅助型踝足矫形器（AAFO）是辅助或康复人类步态的有效解决方案。现有AAFO技术包括被动式、准被动式和主动式原理，旨在为用户提供辅助，其机械构型和控制方式取决于在步态模式中预期实现的最终支撑目标。本研究分析了AAFO的现有技术现状，将不同方法分类为若干集群，阐述其原理与工作机制。此外，我们回顾了这些设备的用途及实验验证情况，使读者更清晰地了解技术成熟度。最后，对该领域的设计、局限性及未来发展方向进行了总结与讨论。